Alligata Media have this morning hurled us an announcement proclaiming they have yet more RISC OS related books up their sleeve that they wish to publish while at the same time adding they will not be able to attend this weekend's Wakefield show. Alligata Media, better known as ProAction/APDL, have recently enjoyed their new publisher status by attempting to materialise First Steps with RISC OS 4 and First steps in programming RISC OS computers in dead tree form. First Steps with RISC OS 4 is due to set foot from the printers this month, if everything's going to Alligata's plan.

"It's certainly all go in the RISC OS market at the moment", comments Dave Bradforth of Alligata and so go in fact that they opting out of the key RISC OS show of the year. Dave blames pressures from "the real job kind" are preventing him from turning up to the show. However, Dave does bear some good news and that's these new titles that he wants to see in print and on users' shelves:

Beginners guide to RISC OS - Sounding rather familiar to First Steps with RISC OS 4, this book explains RISC OS desktop basics (think window furniture, !Configure etc.) and interestingly enough, where to buy software. Sounds great but given the connection between Alligata, ProAction and APDL, one hopes it's not a cheeky mini-catalogue of APDL wares. Certaintly not after they've just accquired Clares' software back catalogue? To be honest, it's their book and they know their software best so it's up to them.

Ovation Pro Survival Guide - Not for advanced users, we're told, it's a basic guide through Dave Pilling's DTP package so users can build up a foundation of skills and techniques on which to continue using the software with. OvationPro does take some time to get into so as to find various ways to get the most out of it in terms of page layouts and styles - a handy book like this sounds therefore appealing to new users. Dave says you can get this for a fiver at the end of July. This year, presumably.

Alligata also have a "further five titles under negotiation" and finally hint at Dabs Press reprints. Someone administer them oxygen before they over exert themselves, please. For those who don't know, Dabs Press back in the early 1990s were to RISC OS what O'Reilly books now are to geeks - bar the difference in sales, Dabs Press tomes were must have, certainly their ARM assembly and Archimedes Operating System books.

Dave adds that his little progress report clearly indicates that "that there's still life in the RISC OS market yet". That's great Dave, we honestly hadn't noticed. When getting to grips with a new system or application, there's nothing like turning to a good book to read up on a subject or follow a clear and concise tutorial. We can only therefore be thankful that Alligata are gradually trying to push out these introductory titles despite facing high printing rates and other obstacles. However, as they say, no pain, no gain.

From my memory, the C book also used the K&R style C rather than the more modern Ansi style. It wasn't the most useful book I bought, but it was only a fiver at a show. I wonder how much the reprint will be?